The Blame Game, Atonement and Forgiveness

As we wind our way through our lives, we find our challenges popping up to greet us around every bend.When we greet our challenges, we should keep two powerful tools of aligning us with spirit in mind: Atonement and Foregiveness.All we need to know about these beautiful concepts are contained within the words themselves.

Frequently, our challenges place us on either side of the blame game, and this is the most potent use of our two featured tools of the Spirit.When we hurt another person or we perceive another to hurt us, we should think back to the wisdom inherent in process of forgiving and atonement.

Atonement is traditionally thought of as ‘making amends’ or ‘rectifying a wrong’.If we break the word down a little bit, though, we can see that there is a much more powerful process at work.At-one-ment. At – being the point in which we are, One – being the description of that point, and Ment – being the actions we take from this perspective. When we ‘atone’, we become more ‘at-one’ with a person, seeing a situation from their vantage point, and acting from that knowledge, usually with apologies.Here is a stunningly simple thought:What if we practiced at-one-ment on a regular basis, with all people that we meet?

What if we were able to recognize that all people that cross our paths are amazing and beautiful reflections of our indwelling spirits?What if we pre-emptively reached out to connect with them, seeing ‘us’ instead of ‘me and them’?We are all of the same spirit, the same source, and the process of atonement is simply reminding ourselves of that.

We can break the word down again and discover more hidden wisdom – a-tone-ment.In this etymology, we see that by recognizing the indwelling spirit of others, that we are actively setting the tone of leading a spirit driven life.When we see all as one, then others are more likely to see that as well, as it is simply a reminder of the soul level wisdom that we all know deep down.

So many of us are actively challenged on the other end of the blame game as well.In these instances, the appropriate tool to use is ‘for-give-ness’.For- represents our need to act without prompting (as in be-FOR-e).Give – means that we give the situation over completely – no takesies backsides!Ness – is the state of being in that moment.So, in other words, you are accepting that you cannot control the actions of another, and that what is past is past.When you forgive, then you release the power that a situation has over you or your life, and moving beyond it.That doesn’t mean you didn’t learn anything from the situation, it simply means that you have reclaimed your power from it.

By incorporating these concepts into your life, you clear up more space in your heart for love.You re-affirm your connection to all of life through Source, and you accept your true power.I mean, what’s more powerful than being one with all and accepting more love into your heart?